One Stressful Week in Sunyshore
by sunyshore
Summary: Roark plans a lovely week in Sunyshore. He doesn't plan on Flint being so sexy, or Riley being so angst-ridden. Is something more than just friendship going on between Flint and Volkner? Has Riley spent WAY too much time with Byron? IRONSHIPPING? :O
1. Chapter 1

HI! Welcome to more of my Gym Leader pornographic dramas or whatever. Thanks to anybody who is reading! You can always find illustrations for these stories on denhyou DOTcom or heerosferret.deviantartDOTcom! AIM me at "rem rom child" for access to the sooper dooper seekrit NC17 illustrations, yeah baby. Thanks!

""""

I was snickering to myself.

I am truly a smarmy bastard, a clever trickster, is what I was thinking to myself.

For I had told Volkner I would arrive in Sunyshore City on Saturday night. It was only Saturday evening - and I had arrived two hours early to surprise him!

I strolled through the streets happily, carrying a bulging backpack. I was staying for a week - an entire week!! - so I'd packed plenty of outfits and supplies. I was in a happier mood than I'd been for a while - with only one regret. Riley had asked me to see him today, but I had to turn him down as I was already heading for the train when he called. He had sounded utterly depressed, and I felt horrible for it. I'd suggested he talked to my Dad, but he said it wouldn't help.

My Dad was always better at listening to Riley's problems over mine, so I was somewhat surprised, but I had to wonder if what was upsetting him in the first place was an argument with my Dad, who was pretty much his best friend.

I climbed the stairs up to the walkway level of the city, where the Gym was. The Gym was surrounded by construction workers who appeared to be on break, and covered in signs saying it was closed all month long.

"Excuse me... is the Gym Leader here right now?" I asked one of them. I'd left my own helmet and work clothes on, so that I'd look like someone they could allow inside, and not some random challenger.

"Yeah, he's in there, do you have an appointment? He's shutting down construction early today, we're all heading out soon."

"Oh, yes - that's fine! Thank you." I headed inside, a new spring in my step. Hah! He was shutting down early just because I was visiting. Happy day! I felt flooded with little prickles of joy as I headed through the torn up Gym Lobby.

There was torn up wiring everywhere, and the floor was made of gigantic metal panels that were missing in half the place. I picked my way through the mess, scared of the live wires that sparked viciously, and headed towards the far corner, from which I could hear voices. Peering over a pile of discarded crap, I froze.

Volkner was there, on the floor. Giggling. GIGGLING.

With Flint.

Except - Flint looked really, really sexy. His curly red hair was tied back in a ponytail, a few scraggly curls sticking out and hanging down over his forehead.

I couldn't speak. I didn't have to though - Flint looked up.

"Roark!" He cried, waving vigorously, with a huge smile. I could see now he was holding a Pokeball in one hand, and the floor was covered in Pokemon Seals. Volkner nearly fell over, he turned around so fast.

"Roark - you're not supposed to be here for another...two hours!!" He looked honestly guilty, and my mind was so jealous, I instantly decided it was because he'd been caught having a giggle with Flint. "I'm sorry. I would have come to get you at the station had I known. Did you walk here alone?"

"Yeah," I replied, mustering up a big smile, although I felt close to tears. I hadn't seem Volkner in months, and I couldn't even give him a kiss I was so shy. I regretted, immediately, being so clever as to come early. "So uh... what're you guys up to?"

I tried to keep the accusatory note out of my voice. It must have worked, because Flint held up his Pokeball to show me, still grinning a huge grin. "We're trying to pick out some good Seals to put on our Pokeballs... my Magby and Volknard's Elekid. So they can look awesome, if we send them out in a double battle."

Volkner looked completely miserable and embarrassed. I coughed.

"Sounds adorable." I smiled as brightly as I could, tilting my head to the side. "Sunyshore City has a famous Seal Market, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, and they just got in a great new shipment of rare Seals! We bought like... a hundred, hahahaha," Flint laughed, indicating the mess of Seals they were sitting in. "Volkner picked out all of the yellow ones, and some with little lightning bolts, and shit... he's so predictable."

"Yeah." I caught myself staring at Flint. He looked really, really hot with his hair back that way. It was hard to tell that he was actually an incredibly good looking guy when he had his hair in a full-fledge afro. Volkner was blushing something terrible, and Flint laughed at him.

"I think Volknard's embarrassed, you showing up gave him an instant boner." Flint stood up and clapped his hand on my shoulder, winking. "I'll leave you guys, gotta be getting back anyway. Volk, thanks for cleaning up the seals!"

He headed out of the arena, whistling, leaving Volkner and I alone. There was awkward silence for a minute or two, then Volkner stood up, hiding his blushing face.

"Roark, we really were just-"

"I know." I sighed, relaxing myself. "I'm not mad at you, Volk. You know I just get jealous about Flint."

"Yeah. I know."

"I missed you, I wanted to surprise you, and he's your best friend, so I should have expected him to be here. I need to just get over-eep!"

Volkner had thrown his arms around me, hugging me tight. I smiled, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder, putting my arms around him in return.

"I missed you, too."

His shirt was covered in dust and stains, and he smelled like sweat. He was wearing a toolbelt, heavy gloves, big boots, and baggy cargo pants. I could see a hammer sticking out from one of his pockets. My fingers dug into his back a little.

"Roark?" he mumbled. I looked up into his smug, smirking face and gulped. His hand slid down my back, pulling my body closer to him. I felt myself stabbing him in the leg. "Is there something you need to tell me, Roark?"

"Y-you look really hot," I breathed, digging my fingers in deeper. He chuckled.

"The other week on the phone, I deliberately told you what I was wearing. I knew you'd think it was sexy."

I gasped. "You did that on purpose? But then you acted like you didn't wanna... do... that on the phone..."

"Yeah, well." He shrugged lifting his leg up and rubbing it against my thigh. I shuddered. "I changed my mind, right? The way you started talking... it made me feel like you were really pushing me against a wall." He took a few steps backward, pulling me with him, pressing his own back against the metal wall of the Gym. I stared at him with wide eyes.

"Volkner... this Gym is wide open... anyone could walk in!"

"They're going home," he whispered, leaning in to bite at my neck. "They aren't coming back. The Gym had signs all around that it's closed. It's almost nighttime anyway... are you chicken?"

I stared into his blue eyes, then looked down, drinking in his haggard appearance. I grinned before lunging at him, pushing my mouth to his throat and biting and sucking at it. I slid my hands into his shirt, pushing my fingers against his little nipples, massaging them roughly with a circular motion. He grunted, pushing his body against my hands. His own erection was pressed against my leg now. I slid my hands down to his tummy, squeezing it before fiddling with the belt of his cargo pants, unhooking it. Still sucking hard at his throat, I then undid my own fly before biting a little extra hard. I pulled away, looking hard into his face.

"Suck my cock - do it now."

Without a word of protest he slid down to his knees, unbuttoning my boxers and pulling out my erection, tugging on it a few times. I sighed, leaning my upper body against the cool wall, twitching as I felt his lips slide over the head, his tongue slipping into every crease.

"Uhhnn... Volk... aaah... make it really wet..." I gasped as I felt his lips slide all the way to the base of my cock, his nose pushed into the little hairs above it. I pushed my hand into his spikey hair, gently pushing him away, his mouth popping off me with a little pop! sound. "Stand up... turn around, bend over."

He was always so whiny and full of complaints, so I always enjoyed how obedient he was when in this sort of situation. He quickly obliged, and I hooked my fingers into his pants, sliding them and his boxers down to his knees. His ass looked so perfect and cute, and I bent down to give it a little kiss.

Volkner mumbled from somewhere near the wall. "I was expecting you to slap me."

I laughed. "Naw, not right now... maybe later though, if you want me to." I spread his asscheeks apart with my hands, then pushed my tongue inside of him, moving it all around to tease him. He gasped, his body shivering.

"R-Roark... c-can I..."

I nodded a little, still playing with him, pushing my tongue in a little more, trying to get him as wet as possible. He reached between his legs and tugged on himself a few times, sighing in relief.

I straightened up then, grabbing his shoulders with my arms and pulling him up as well, spinning him so his back was against the wall again. His pants were still around his knees, so I gingerly stepped between his thighs, then grabbed them, lifting him up effortlessly. He was as easy to hold up as I had thought, and I grinned, pushing my body against his, slipping my tongue into his mouth. He groaned into my mouth as I gripped harder, pulling his ass onto my cock and slipping inside easily. He gasped and broke the kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around my shoulders.

"R-Roark..."

"You really feel like... you weigh absolutely nothing..." I slid partway out again. "...light as a feather... nngh!!" I grunted, thrusting hard enough that Volkner whimpered a little into my neck. I repeated the motion, Volkner's body thudding against the wall each time.

I remembered picturing doing this to him, just a week ago.

And telling him how I would do it, and how it would feel.

... it was so, so much better in reality.

Except that in my mind, his Gym hadn't been such an ugly shade of yellow and green.

I pounded into him so hard I halfway expected him to tell me to stop, that it hurt too badly, but he only continued to gasp and moan into my skin. Suddenly his body tensed up, and I felt his muscles contracting around my cock. He bit down hard on my neck (and I wanted to tell him to stop, that it hurt too badly), and let out a strangled little cry as he came hard, his body trembling against mine. He fell limply onto my chest, but after only a couple more thrusts I felt my own release, and I buried my face into his hair, gritting my teeth, stars popping in my vision as emptied myself inside of him. I swayed on the spot for a moment, then slowly slid to the ground, still holding his limp little body against mine. We sat that way for a long time.

When we emerged from the Gym half an hour later, belts properly fastened, I noticed that Volkner had been right - all the workers had gone, and it was dark out. With his hand clutched tightly in mine, I swung my arm back and forth in a wide arc, grinning and marching towards his house. He stopped suddenly, tho, causing me to misstep and nearly fall onto my ass.

"What's wrong, Volk?"

"I almost forgot." He whistled loudly, the sound echoing off the walls of the cliffs surrounding us. There was a rustling in the bushes, and a pair of glowing eyes emerged, followed by a sleek lion body. Next to it was a high-stepping little Eevee.

"Eevee!" I chirped, bending down. The little fuzzball ran into my lap, ears twitching excitedly. "How have you been, little guy?" I stood up, cradling it in my arms, then turned to Volkner. "Eevee and Luxray were out in the woods all day? Is that safe? Eevee's only a baby-"

Volkner laughed. "I've had Eevee for over three months now, do you think it can't hold its own yet? He's only acting fuzzy and cute because you're here. Yesterday he nearly bit Raichu's paw off in battle."

"Wow." I looked at Eevee's little furry face, and now it instilled in me a sort of fear. "That's... well, wow."

"Raichu still beat him, but... there was a lot of blood."

Volkner winced a little as we resumed walking. I made a little sad face at him.

"Was it really that gross?"

"No, no, it's not the blood... it's just..." He grumbled. "My legs hurt."

I laughed loudly, not at all surprised.

"You're such a pussy."

"""

After I'd dropped my stuff off at his house and sat down for a while, Volkner took me back out to get some fast food, then to the Pokemon Center, so I could make a video call to Riley. The guilt had overcome me, and I'd agreed to at least that.

I was still munching chicken nuggets when I sat down in front of the video phone booth, turning it on and dialing in Riley's number. Volkner sat a ways behind me, finishing off the french fries, Eevee on the chair next to him.

Riley's face appeared on the screen. He looked absolutely terrible - he wasn't wearing his usual light layer of face makeup, his hat was askew and his normally hair-sprayed perfect hair was limp.

"Riley! What's wrong... you look terrible." I leaned in closer, genuinely concerned. "Is Lucario okay?"

"Good evening, Roark. Yes, Lucario is fine." He tilted his head down, hiding his eyes from my view. "Roark... are you having a good time in Sunyshore City so far?"

"Yeah, but... Riley, I'm worried about you. I really regretted not going to talk to you and now I regret it even more." I meant it - I missed Volkner, but now a dread was welling up in my chest. "Riley, just tell me! Are you sick?"

"No..." He lowered his head further, now hiding his entire face. "Roark, it's... it's your Father."

My heart leapt into my throat. "My Dad!? Riley... what happened to my Dad?! Is he okay - why didn't someone tell me?!"

"No, no, Byron is fine." Riley sighed. "Really - he's just fine. I would know, I've been over there every day."

Some of the panic subsided, but this was freaking me out really badly. "Riley, you're really, really worrying me. Can you just come out and say it?"

Riley looked up a little, his soft eyes watery. "You will laugh at me."

"Riley, I will NOT laugh at you."

Something clicked on in my head a split second before he spoke.

"Roark, I think I'm in love with Byron."

My mouth was already gaping wide open in horrified shock. I could only turn slowly to look at Volkner, who's face wore the exact same expression as mine.

Eevee put two paws in his lap and began crunching up fries one by one.

"""


	2. Chapter 2

I ran down the stairs of the Canalave train station, my heart racing. I felt as though I'd run the entire distance from Sunyshore in one single hour.

It was crazy. It didn't make any sense. I couldn't remember another time I'd felt this way - not when Volkner came out to my Dad, not when he'd asked me to be his boyfriend, not anytime in my life could I remember this wierd mixture of shock, disbelief, and not wanting to believe.

Riley was insane. Was this a joke? It had to be - it had to be a joke to get me to come back home, but I couldn't figure out why.

If he even considered telling my Dad what he was thinking... I didn't know what would happen.

Of course I'd suspected Riley was gay, and a little obsessed with my Dad, but he'd also suspected I was gay, and it had almost been an unspoken game for us growing up. He was six years older than me, and it was always him and my Dad, teasing me together.

I remembered with a shock photos of me as a baby, and young Riley holding me up, spoon-feeding me, or tucking me in. He'd been there all along, when my mom wasn't. He was only six years old himself, but he had started to babysit me when I was a toddler.

No!! My Dad was my Dad - Riley was my best friend - no matter how we'd grown up, Riley was NOT a mother figure to me. I shuddered at the thought, and then I was at my old house.

The door was unlocked, and I stepped inside. "Dad?" I peered around the living room. It was unusually messy, especially considering that Riley HAD been spending lots of time there. I tiptoed across the room, peering down the hallway. I could hear voices.

"Riley?" I started down the hall, towards the stairs. I stepped on something.

Riley's hat. I picked it up, grimacing. Why was his hat on the floor? He never left it on the floor. I didn't want to think my Dad was a violent guy, but he had his moments of outrageous tempber...

I started up the stairs. I could hear movement, but the voices had stopped. I gulped. At least it HAD been two voices - my Dad hadn't murdered him. I stepped on something else.

Riley's necklace. Beyond that, his black shirt.

What the...?

Now I was certain my Dad had gone insane and I'd open his bedroom door to find Riley's mangled corpse splattered across the floor. My heart pounded so loud I was certain the entire city could hear it. My ears throbbed from it.

Then, suddenly, I heard my Dad grunt - and Riley's voice crying out in pain.

"No - STOP!!" I cried, rushing the last few steps and bursting through my Dad's bedroom door.

My breath was sucked out of me.

Riley wasn't dead or mangled, nor was he crying out in pain. He was completely naked, his body perched on top of my Dad's lap, who was also completely naked - except for his cape - and lying on his back.

And my Dad's cock was completely buried in Riley's little ass.

We looked at each other for a second, before I screamed, and screamed, and slammed the door shut, and ran screaming back down the stairs. I tripped on the last stair and fell onto my face, and opted to lie on the ground screaming and clawing at my eyes and rolling around on the floor.

"Roark - wait!!" It was Riley's voice, and I heard footsteps on the stairs.

"OH MY GOD!!" I screamed, refusing to turn around. "OH MY GOD - GO AWAY!"

"Roark, stop that and listen to me." It was my Dad. I could never refuse anything he said in his commanding voice, and I turned, peering from between my fingers. They stood behind me, both of them wrapped in my Dad's cloak. Riley waved and smiled at me.

"OH MY GOD!!" I screamed, and scrambled to get up and run, but my Dad's hand shot out and grabbed the back of my shirt. I gagged, flailing to escape.

"Roarky, it's wonderful! I told your Dad what I told you, and he felt the same way! We're in love," Riley said happily, and I turned to see him nuzzling into my Dad's hairy chin. I screamed.

"OH MY GOD LET ME GO LET ME GO!!" I cried, gagging as I tried to run while my Dad still had a grip on me.

"Roark, after I worked so hard to accept you and Volkner, this is how you treat me?" My Dad sounded so depressed. I didn't care.

"YOU'RE... LIKE... TWENTY YEARS OLDER THAN HIM, DAD!!" I screamed, then gagged again, another failed escape attempt.

"Only seventeen years!" Riley piped up.

Suddenly, Volkner was standing in front of me. I blinked at him.

"Volk?"

"You know, I'm a lot older than you are, Roark," he said thoughtfully. "Your Dad really did his best to accept us. You're being unreasonable."

"But... Volkner!! He's my Dad... and he's old... and hairy!! And... and he always wears the same SHIRT!" I cried. "How could Riley... how could he choose my Dad?!"

"Well," Volkner looked thoughtful. "Now that I think about it, your Dad is a very handsome man."

"Volk?!" My mouth fell open in disbelief. Volkner looked behind me, and winked at my Father.

"Do you have any room for one more skinny guy in that cape, Byron?"

"By all means," my Dad replied, bowing deeply. He dropped me and I sank to my knees, staring, in complete shock.

"Volkner - what the hell are you-"

"Sorry Roark - your arms have NOTHING on these babies," Volkner cooed, sliding up next to my Dad and putting his girly hands on my Dad's arms, squeezing them. "Wow," he said simply.

"That feels good," my Dad growled, grinning. Volkner squealed and clung tightly to his arm as my Dad lifted him up into the air, swinging him close. Riley swatted a little at Volkner's face.

"Hey - I found Byron first!"

"Can't we share?"

"I guess so."

They each placed a kiss on my Dad's hairy cheeks.

"OH MY GOD!!" I screamed again, then screamed some more, turning and running towards the door. But it was closed, and I slammed into it head on.

My eyes snapped open. "AAAAAAAARRGHH!! AAAARGH!! AAAARGH!" I flailed in a tangle of blankets, fell out of bed and smacked my head on the floor. "Ooooooowwch..." I rubbed the part of my skull I'd smacked. Volkner's worried face suddenly appeared over the side of the bed.

"Roark?! What's wrong?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" I screamed when I saw Volkner's face, the image of him kissing my Dad's cheek fresh in my memory. I scrambled into the corner, curling up in a fetal position. "No, no, no... do not want... do not want... do not want it... do not want it!!"

A girly hand slid past my bangs, gently cupping my cheek. I looked up at Volkner's face, and now I realized I was teary eyed. He smiled a little, then leaned in to give me a gentle kiss on the lips.

I snapped out of it.

"Volkner," I wailed, slumping forward into his lap. He stroked my hair, and finally I stopped shaking and whimpering as badly as I had been. I whined and stuffed my nose into Volkner's tummy. "Volk... oh, my god... Volk, how could Riley do this... how could he do this... how could he pick my Dad, how, how, how..."

"Well." Volkner sighed. "I admit I'm... surprised, but... sometimes, you don't choose who you fall in love with, I guess? I don't know... Byron... must have some very gentle side to him, some attractive side that we haven't really-"

"Volkner, please don't say my Dad is attractive, please, and please don't ask me why I don't want you to say that."

"Okay, well, maybe there's just some part of him that Riley really likes. He obviously has spent a lot of time with Byron and... well, I'm sure he didn't CHOOSE for this to happen. You saw how upset he was."

"But why? Why would he do this to me... why?" I sniffled against Volkner's abdomen, then turned to look up at him with huge, watery eyes.

"I honestly don't think he's doing this TO YOU. I think he's doing this to himself... and I don't think it's about you." Volkner smiled, stroking my hair back again. "I'm actually surprised Riley didn't fall in love with YOU."

I shook my head, not wanting to admit that the same thing had made me confused as well. "He must just... well, he's even more of a pretty boy than I am, I mean, next to him I'm a manly man."

"Yeah... Roark, you need to get some sleep, and we can think about this more tomorrow, and give Riley another call once you've calmed down. Okay?" Volkner stood up, helping me to stand as well, and I clung to him the few steps back to the bed before flopping down onto it and sinking into the pillows. I felt Volkner scooch next to me, and then his lovely arm was wrapped around my chest.

I sniffled, hugging it tightly, relishing in the feeling of his body curled up against my back. "Volk," I mumbled.

"Mm?"

"If I start to have a dream... pinch me, or kick me in the balls, anything, just wake me up."

After a pause, I heard a little chuckle.

"Sure...whatever. Goodnight."

""""" 


	3. Chapter 3

I did NOT feel better when I woke up. This was due to three reasons. One, I woke up because Luxray's rough cat tongue was licking my hand and wrist, covering it in disgusting cat slobber. Two, Volkner peeked his head in the door and informed me that Flint was going to be hanging out with us today, if I didn't mind. He left before I could reply, probably because he know I WOULD mind. Three, my Dad called as I was pulling my pants on.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself before answering him.

"Roark m'boy!"

"Hi, Dad. How are you?" I sighed a little in relief. He didn't sound angry or frustrated, so I guess Riley had stayed quiet.

"I'm fine, son. I wanted to ask you a favour, actually."

He would ask me to go to Canalave, I knew it.

"I was wondering if you had some free time to stop home for a day or two..."

"Dad, I can't. I'm on vacation all week on the opposite side of Sinnnoh." I rubbed my temples, officially getting a headache. I decided to play dumb. "Riley called me too, he sounded upset. Did you guys have a fight?"

"I don't know," Dad replied, and I was shocked to hear him suddenly sounding sad, his voice oozing out like air from a deflated tire. "He seems really mad at me... and he went back to the cabin on Iron Island today. He told me not to follow him."

Now I was flat-out alarmed at how depressed my Dad sounded. "Dad, what do you mean you don't know? What were you doing before he started to act upset?"

"Nothing!! Just what we usually do... he stayed at the house for a really long time, is all, he'd gotten some new Pokemon and was training then in the Gym. About a week ago he started to act really strange, agitated. Outta no where, just... agitated and snapping a lot. Your mom used to get that way too, once a month."

I almost laughed a little despite how worried I was. "Yeah, well, speaking of ... well not my mom, but women. Have you had any dates lately?"

"You know I don't do that kind of stuff, boy," my Dad mumbled.

"Yeah, but why don't you?"

"I'm not interested."

"Not interested in dating, or not interested in women?"

"I'm interested in training Pokemon, boy," he growled, "and we've talked about this before. You know I didn't want to date anymore after your mom left us."

"That was a LONG time ago, Dad."

"Yeah well - hhmph!" He grunted in a very finalized way. "I'm too old now anyway, nobody is interested in me. I've got work to do even if someone was, I've got a Gym to run."

"You aren't that old, Dad." I sighed, walking Volkner's bedroom window. It looked out over the ocean, which was sparkling in the morning sun. I was hit by sudden inspiration. "Dad - why don't YOU come HERE? To Sunyshore."

"You're in Sunyshore?"

"I said I was in the furthest city from Canalave City, didn't I?! Only two cities are that freaking far and do you really think I'd be going to Snowpoint City when my boyfriend is in Sunyshore?" Aaaaaah christ. I started to blush really badly. It was still not really easy to say the word "boyfriend" to my Dad. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Why don't you just come here and have a vacation for a few days? We could... go to the hot springs and then get really drunk, don't you like to do that?" If I had to put up with Flint, Volkner could put up with my Dad.

Not that Flint had actually done anything.

I was just jealous.

And anytime I saw him, the image flash in my head, of the cobble-gobbling, as I'd so eloquently worded it to Riley.

Dad replied with another non-committal grunt. "Maybe. ... you won't... uh... you won't deep...deep kiss Volkner in front of me, will you?"

"What do you think." My face was a tomato again. I wondered if I'd lost any weight from how many calories I had to be burning by blushing so often since getting together with Volkner.

"All right, yeah, I mean, I haven't seen you in a long time, boy."

"So come to Sunyshore. How about in two more days?"

"Yeah... sure. Thanks for talking to me, Roark."

I almost giggled, feeling silly now at what I was going to attempt to do. "Sure, Dad. Hey, Dad - love you!"

"Don't be gay, boy!" And with that, he hung up. I stared at the phone for a long time, then headed downstairs. Eevee was sitting at the foot of them - playing with an Elekid and a Magby. I stared at them, and they all scattered around the room yelping and tumbling all over one another. I smiled as I went into the kitchen.

"Volk, your living room's a baby Pokemon day-care..." My voice trailed off awkwardly as Flint waved to me from the kitchen table. I was relieved to see he'd done his hair into an afro today.

"Morning, Roarkie! Didja see my Magby out there? Is that what you meant?" Flint gestured for me to sit down next to him. Volkner was scraping burned parts off some toast into the sink.

I sat down. "I saw Magby, Elekid, and Eevee. I'd send out my Cranidos to play with them, but he evolved last week and is too big now."

"Yeah - congrats!! Hey, you were on TV, yknow?" Flint looked at me, amazed. "Running into a crazy battle with ancient Pokemon! You're a really brave and crazy guy."

I blushed a little, but I had to wonder if Volkner had suggested to Flint to work on buttering me up. It was working, a little.

Fucking Flint.

"Yeah, well," I shrugged, then glanced at a clock. "Holy - it's noon already?"

"Yup! You slept really late, eh? Really tired out?" Flint thumped me on the back, nearly sending my glasses flying. "Volknard's a big perv, likes to keep people up all night, yknow-"

"Flint," Volkner said warningly. He turned, and glared at his friend. Flint looked sheepish, and again I had the feeling Volkner had suggested not to make any sexual jokes, either. I decided to be a big boy, taking it in stride and shaking my head.

"No, actually, I didn't sleep good because I had a bad dream." Volkner had sat down and slid some toast over to me. I stared at it - it was halfway scraped off and had a little lump of butter in one corner. I smirked at Volkner. "Wow, Volk, you really did a good job making breakfast all by yourself."

Volkner mumbled something incomprehensible, but Flint was devouring his toast and talking to me with crumbs flying everywhere. "Bad dream? What sort of bad dream?"

"Well..." Why bother hiding it? If Flint was going to be around all week, it wouldn't be much of a secret for long. "My best friend... kinda my ex-babysitter... is in love with my Dad, apparently. I had a bad dream that I caught them having sex."

Volkner choked and sputtered, quickly gulping down some water. "Wait - REALLY? That was your - oh, Roark... ewwwww." He made a horribly disgusted face, and I laughed.

"Why do you think I asked you to kick me in the balls?"

Flint looked amazed. "Wow... you guys are kinky."

"No, no, I meant - if I had another dream, I wanted to make sure I was woken up, that's all." I stared down at my toast. The butter was creeping down along the crust. Volkner coughed, and I looked up at him. "Actually, Volk, I wanted to tell you... my Dad called this morning, really upset."

"Oh shi-!! Did Riley-?"

"No, Riley didn't tell him, but he ran away from the house and Dad thinks he's really angry with him." I sighed. "Anyway, I invited Dad to come visit us here in Sunyshore..." I waited for a reaction, but got none, so I continued. "And... well, I thought we could do something together, like, go to a hot springs, or ...something."

"That sounds like a good idea," Volkner replied simply. I gave him a big smile in thanks, but noticed Flint looking downcast out of the corner of my eye.

"Flint, you're invited at well." It just slipped out of me, but I suddenly realized I didn't regret saying it. Was I growing the fuck up?

"YAY!!" Flint fist pumped the air. "Hot springs vacation!!"

Volkner was looking at me with a weird expression, a small little smile visible only in the corner of his mouth. "Tell me, Roark, because I am ever so curious... your next question will be, 'Volkner, should I invite Riley as well?'".

My mouth fell wide open. "Wha... how did you..."

Volkner smirked. Bastard. "Because you're going to try to set up Byron and Riley, aren't you, even after your dream made you gag so hard."

"Byron?" Flint piped up. "Is Byron coming too?"

I gave him a confused look. "Flint, Byron is my Dad. Didn't you know that?"

Now it was Flint's turn to choke and cough. "BYRON - the Canalave City Gym Leader? HE'S your Dad?? Who's coming to Sunyshore?!"

"Yes!" I laughed.

"Flint, you fucking moron," Volkner sighed. "I thought I told you that before."

"You didn't! You did not tell me! So wait... THAT guy is your Father in law?"

Volkner looked grumpy and didn't respond. Flint continued to poke and prod and tease him, so I excused myself and got up to call Riley. He picked up so fast I wasn't even sure it had rung once.

"Roark - how are you this morning?"

"Fine, Riley, hey, look man-" I pushed my hand through my hair. "I was worrying about you, I wanted to cheer you up-"

"Nothing can cheer me up," Riley muttered with a voice full of emo and angst. I sighed, ignoring it and continuing on.

"I'm feeling really bad I can't come to see you in Canalave-"

"I'm on the island right now, actually." Yes, I know, and I am playing dumb with you. My own trickiness made me gulp a little nervously.

"Oh, well... how about you come to Sunyshore, to visit me and Volkner? You could... have another re-match... we could go to the hot springs... have a mini vacation to help you feel better."

Riley was silent for a long time, and I was starting to wonder if he was angry at me, but then- "That sounds lovely, Roark."

I skipped a little with joy. "Great! How about in two days? Is that okay with you?"

"Of course."

"Wonderful!"

That was easy - almost too easy. Flint was excited, but I think Volkner probably understood that this was not going to be a very fun vacation at all. On the contrary, I might end up disowned from the only family I had when Riley and Dad found out I was setting them up.

I heard squeaking by my feet and looked down to see three baby Pokemon staring up at me with wide eyes. Now it sounded like Flint's teasing of Volkner had escalated into wrestling, so I opted to sit down cross legged in the living room and let furballs romp around on my legs and in my lap.

As they played, I pondered. My week away from work was turning out to be more work than work. And my stressful week in Sunyshore was only going to get more stressful.  



	4. Chapter 4

I helped out in the Gym for the next two days. Weirdly enough, doing physical labor was a lot funner for me than anything else had been.

Construction work is weird. When you dig, you are trying to go down and through and under. Construction work sends you up and around. It also involves a lot of electrical wiring, so most of the help I was able to contribute was lifting heavy objects and hammering them down.

Volkner had given me a look at the blueprints, and what he was attempting to build was interesting, but felt impractical to me.

"In my Gym, you just walk right in and its got a rock and dirt floor," I said simply.

"Well, I want moving platforms and electric sparks shooting out of my Gym," Volkner retorted.

"You really are like my Dad - he's obsessed with the idea of moving platforms too. Why not just have a regular old arena?!" I threw my arms up in the air. Flint suddenly slid between us, wrapping one arm around each of our shoulders.

"You know Roark, they say girls always want to date a guy who reminds them of their father," he snickered, grinning with huge white teeth at me. His hair was tied back again, as he was helping out in the Gym as well, and his sexiness frustrated me. I bopped him on top of the head.

"Volkner is NOT like my Dad," I grumbled. Flint rubbed the spot where I'd bopped him and gave me a sad look. "What - he's not!! I mean, besides the fact that everyone thinks he's a womanizer, but he really isn't..."

Flint laughed. "Volkner WAS a-" He trailed off awkwardly when Volkner glared at him. I ignored it.

"I mean, I guess he and my Dad have SOME similar traits... kind of." I shrugged. "Am I anything like YOUR Dad, Volk?"

Flint suddenly fell over, barely missing a pile of scrap metal, laughing his ass off so hard he couldn't get up. Volkner aimed a kick at him, but Flint just rolled and rolled.

"Hahahahahaha... R-Roark... a...and...your Dad... hahahahahaha..."

"What?!" I said, alarmed. I didn't know anything about Volkner's parents, and now I was worried I'd said something really stupid. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know what's so funny, Flint. He's probably even met my father, and I'm sure it was fine. No need to be a moron." Flint started to sit up, and Volkner shoved him back down. Now I was REALLY confused.

"But... I've never met your family..." I said quietly, looking at my boots. Volkner slid his hand under my chin, lifting my face up and smiling at me. Ah shit - he looked so handsome, and had an oil smudge across his nose and cheek.

"Roark... show me your badges. Do you have them?" I nodded, reaching into my jacket's inside pocket and pulling out my badge case. Volkner took it from me, opened it, smiled and handed it back. "You've met my father."

I almost fell over myself. "W-WHAT?! You...your dad is a Gym Leader too?!" I stared at all of my badges, trying to think back over all the Gym Leader's I'd battled. "Who is it?? Who's your Dad? Volkner - I can't believe you didn't tell me this!"

Flint stood up, sniggering. "Actually, Roark, it's pretty obvious."

"He hadn't met me when he battled him, Flint, I'm pretty sure, anyway."

My eyes continued to slide frantically over the badges. As they landed on a tiny orange sun-shaped badge, I remembered the battle. The Gym Leader was an American man, larger than my own Father. His Japanese was broken, but his Raichu was powerful, and big like he was. Cranidos had run circles around it, but when it landed a hit, even thought it was an electric attack, Cranidos nearly passed out right then and there. Only in the end did we barely win, with Cranidos nailed a perfect Zen Headbutt.

The Gym Leader had blond, spikey hair, and blue eyes, and was extremely cocky. I looked up at my boyfriend, who was wearing his own very cocky expression. My eyes grew wide.

Flint giggled and clapped. "He figured it out!"

"Your Dad... your Dad is the American Gym Leader? In Vermillion City?" I wracked my brains for a second. "SURGE! Lieutenant Surge... that's him... he's your DAD!" I shrieked, my hands shooting up to my mouth. Volkner rolled his eyes. "How did I not put that together sooner?! You even wear your hair the same way!! Volkner, I didn't know you were half American!!"

"My hair is blond, Roark."

"I thought you DYED it!" I was in complete shock. Flint was giggling and I turned to snap at him. "YOU dye your hair, Flint!" He looked sad and frowny and stopped giggling then. Volkner continued to smirk at me.

"My eyes are blue."

"Well - I thought you were just weird or wore contacts! I don't know!" I felt completely stumped by this. I spent so much time shagging Volkner that I'd never bothered to find this stuff out about him. Stuff his best friend obviously already knew. Volkner knew all about my family life - mostly - but I'd never even known blond was his natural hair color.

"But..." I said weakly. "Your Japanese is fine... Surge sounded like... uh... I mean, your Dad..."

"My Father came to Japan through the military and stayed to be a Gym Leader, he never took any Japanese lessons or anything. I was born and raised here." He shrugged, then smiled, probably amused by how shocked I was. He must have suspected I was feeling stupid, as he suddenly wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. I whimpered.

"I'm sorry I never bothered to ask you more about yourself," I said miserably, half whispering in the hopes that Flint couldn't hear me. Volkner patted my back, then gave me a little kiss on the top of my head. My face burned from shyness, but I glanced and saw Flint wasn't even paying attention.

"Naw, I coulda told you, but I knew it'd be funnier if you found out later on that both our Dads are also Gym Leaders."

I sniffed. "Is that why you have a Raichu? I thought it was a random choice."

"I always said ditch the Raichu! It's your weakest link!" Flint piped up.

Volkner pushed Flint away. "Kind of. My Raichu is actually my Dad's Raichu's kid. Adorable, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it is... " I smiled, finally calming down a bit. "I guess we forgot to invite him to the family vacation tonight."

"Uh, yeah, he wouldn't come anyway. American culture doesn't really think everyone naked outside in a hot springs together is a fun idea."

I frowned when he said that. Somehow, I hadn't been thinking of a hot springs vacation as being that sort of thing, but now that he said it out loud, horror was slowly creeping over me. I groaned, covering my face with my hands.

"Volk - even if no Americans are coming and hot springs is a normal Japanese vacation, think about it from another point of view!! I've just... aaargh, I planned a NAKED vacation when the entire reason I planned it was because Riley is having crazy gay feelings for my Dad!!"

Volkner blinked. "So? They give you little towels if you don't want anyone to see-"

"NO!! Little towels won't do it - oh Volk, I just... why didn't I pick something else!" I wailed, throwing myself into his arms. Volkner and Flint looked at each other as I bawled into my boyfriend's chest.

I'd already paid for the time and the rooms at the hot springs resort in Sunyshore. I couldn't reverse what I had done. Maybe it would all be okay. Pain doesn't last forever, after all. 


	5. Chapter 5

  
Riley arrived first. I'd planned it that way, so they wouldn't end up on the same train from Canalave. I met him at the station myself, worried he might feel too embarrassed if he knew that two other people were aware of his problem.

He descended from the train gracefully, wearing his usual long blue suit and hat, and his necklace... neck ornament... neck thing, looked freshly polished.

"Roark... how lovely to see you," he said, smiling a little and holding his hands out to me. I took his hands in mine, but I was not smiling.

"Riley - cut the formalities - did you tell Dad anything about-"

"No!!" Riley looked shocked and offended. "Do you really think I'd ever - will ever - be able to even face him again? I can't even think about him or it hurts. Do you know how painful that is - you and him... you're my only family..." He sighed, looking thoroughly downcast. "Thank god at least you understand..."

"Not really," I replied honestly. "Dad called me, and he was worried about you. Really worried, and upset you'd gone to Iron Island."

Riley looked up, his face shining with happiness for a moment. "Byron missed me?"

"He reckoned a week ago you started PMSing and acting very strange, then suddenly left the house. Riley, I need you to tell me what happened a week ago, to make you act this way."

Riley's face was unusually blank. "Nothing happened."

I frowned. "Riley - please. Cut it out. I'm not dumb, you've always been a little weirdly obsessed with my Dad - fine, I get it. You think he's rugged and handsome or... shit, I don't know."

"That's not it," Riley said, his face turning red. I continued on.

"Even if you want to claim you've liked him all this time, why would you suddenly change into a teenager with a broken heart? It doesn't make any sense."

"Because I was denying it to myself?! I don't know, Roark!" He slumped down into a bench. The train station was deserted now, everyone had gone. He buried his face into his hands shaking his head back and forth. I put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Then his voice came in a whisper from behind his hands. "Byron kissed me, Roark."

My fingers clenched in his jacket, my free hand balling into a fist as my body froze from shock. No - that couldn't be it.

"Riley... you must have been-"

"He was really drunk, Roark, that's the problem." He shook his head again, moaning pitifully into his hands. "You know how he sometimes talks about your mother when he gets really drunk, and he gets depressed... he started to go on and on about how his son was in a relationship, and he hadn't been on a date since before you were born. He said he was old, and nobody would even look at him anymore. He was sad..."

"He said the same thing to me on the phone," I mumbled. "About nobody wanting him."

"Well, I told him that wasn't true. That plenty of people probably desired him - because he's very strong, and handsome, and gentle to his Pokemon. He said I was just saying that, and to name one person." Riley paused. "I knew he was drunk enough that he wouldn't remember anything I said - so I told him, that I was one person who desired him."

I bit my lip. "Riley..."

He continued on without stopping. "My heart was pounding. I've had a crush on your Dad since I was a teenager, I think. He's seventeen years older than me, Roark, I don't get it, but that's just how it was. And I told him. He just sat there and laughed a little. I felt a little crazy, so I said it again - that I desired him."

My heart was pounding in my chest. How could I have never seen this coming? Was it possible Riley had liked my Dad for that long and I never noticed?

"He said... he said I'd always taken such good care of you," Riley whispered. "Better than your own mother. He said he would have done better to have picked someone like me... then he, he kissed me. On the lips."

My pounding heart skipped a few beats. I looked around for Volkner to come kick me in the balls, but he was back in his Gym. I pinched myself instead. "He really kissed you?" I said in a very shocked voice. "But... HOW? Just a little?"

Riley shook his head and I almost choked. "It was very romantic... a deep kiss... he even put one arm around me. My hat fell off... but then he passed out."

I knew he wasn't lying, and I stood there, stunned into silence for a moment.

"But, Riley... my Dad, when he's drunk, I mean, he can say and do weird stuff, but he's never just made up random lies-"

"I know, I know, trust me!!" Riley sighed heavily, leaning back. "Well, he started snoring then. He'd passed out into my lap, so I... I just sat there, with his head in my lap, for... well, hours and hours."

I got a vision of my Dad lying asleep in Riley's lap, and Riley's fingers dancing across his neck, petting his hair, touching his beard. I twitched.

"When he finally woke up, he just sat right up, didn't even realized he'd been in my lap. He had a bad headache, and went to get medicine for it, but then didn't come back. He'd gone to sleep in his own bed." Riley shrugged. "So I went to try to get some sleep as well. In the morning... he was completely normal. He didn't remember anything, didn't treat me any differently. He started to go on and on about the training we'd do, and about our Pokemon, and... well, that's probably when I got upset."

I twitched again. "Upset he didn't remember anything...?"

"Yes." Riley stood up, tilting his hat so I wouldn't be able to see his face. "Anyway, I suppose we are keeping Volkner waiting... shall we?"

"Riley, wait." I bit my lip, and my hand shot out, grabbing his again. "I'm gonna be honest with you..." I glanced at the clock. "After talking to my Dad myself, I thought I might try to set you up with him somehow."

Riley's eyes grew into dinner plates. "S-set... up...?"

"Look, he really is a lonely man, and ... he honestly hasn't shown interest in women all this time! I mean, he never showed interest in men either, but ... damn it, Riley, I don't know!"

Riley was still staring at me with huge, wide eyes. "You invited him... didn't you? To the hot springs."

I winced. "His train arrives in another few minutes."

Shaking his head, my friend backed up, then slumped down onto the bench again. "Roark - I can't do it! I can't face him... you don't understand, it's not that simple!"

"I know, I just wanted to help, but I-"

"NO!!" Riley cut me off, panicking now. "Not that - I mean, Roark, I'm going to be honest, ever since he kissed me, I - I've felt..." He paused, mustering up his courage. "I've felt really... sexually frustrated!"

Ahhhhhhh, damn it, there it was. I knew he was gonna say it, but I still felt like clapping my hands over my ears and skipping around going la-la-la I can't hear you talking about my Dad in a sexual way!!

"In a hot springs hotel, you're either naked, or wearing a very thin cloth kimono... Roark, when I see him, everyone will know, everyone will know about my problem!"

I saw no reason to lie. I sighed. "Riley - everyone already does know. Well, except for my Dad." Riley opened his mouth in shock, probably to start yelling at me, but I cut him off. "Don't be angry!! Volkner was actually with me when you told me on the phone! It's not my fault!! Anyway, he wants to help you, too. We want to help you out. And try to figure this thing out without ruining your and Dad's friendship."

Riley snorted, turning to look and see if a train was in sight yet. "Roark, if your Dad finds out I've been resisting the urge to pounce on him and that's why I had to leave Canalave, we will NEVER be able to be friends again - ever. I don't care if he doesn't make up lies when he's drunk, he never meant to kiss me, and he was only confusing himself over you not having a mom, and how I'd helped him take care of you."

When he worded it like that, it really did sound hopeless. My shoulders slumped in defeat, and I had nothing more to say - but then Riley squeaked and ran to hide behind me.

"The train is coming! Roark, please, help me!"

"What am I supposed to do, eh?!" I yelped. "Just... be normal!"

"What's normal?!"

"Just - the way you always are!" I stepped back as the train pulled in and stopped. My Dad descended the stairs, and I was shocked - but not displeased - to see he'd not only combed his hair, but he was wearing pants and a shirt that weren't ripped OR dirty. He still had on his cloak, though. I rushed up to greet him. "Dad! Haven't see you in a while..."

"Roark, m'boy! 'S been too long." He growled, sweeping me into a bear hug. I squeezed him back, then patted him on the shoulder.

"And look, Dad, someone else came to see you too." I paused, turning to look at Riley's hat peeking out from behind a billboard. "And apologize for being silly."

My Dad looked up, confused, until Riley stepped out from where he was hiding, looking as dapper and handsome as ever. All the worried whineyness of a few minutes ago was gone, and his face was transformed into that of a suave gentleman. I had to wonder if this was him turning on the charm for my Dad - and I held back a gag. He swept into a low bow.

"Byron, I'm sorry about how I acted this past week. Please forgive me."

My Dad just stood there, looking dumbfounded. "Riley..." He mumbled. "Y'know, it's been real lonely, since you suddenly left."

I stood there with no visible reaction, but inside I was screaming and flailing all around like an insane person. My Dad never, NEVER used the word "lonely". He was a man who spent hours on end alone deep in a mine - something I also loved to do - but he was not a LONELY man.

"I'm sorry, Byron, I was just being silly." Riley bowed again, his charm factor turning up another notch. "I missed you too, we are simply not as strong a team when seperated. After training in double battles with you, it was very awkward when I began to battle on my own, on the Island."

Hitting on my Dad through Pokemon battles? I nodded to myself, surprised by Riley's wit. It could work, maybe. I turned to see my Dad holding out his hand to Riley.

"Well, will you come back to the Gym, stay on as my training partner?" He asked gruffly. Riley nodded, taking my Dad's hand and shaking it. Then both of us yelped a little in surprise as my Dad yanked Riley's arm, pulling him into a crushing bear hug similar to the one I'd received, only my body was tough enough to handle it, and Riley's joints popped in a few different places and his legs twitched.

"Well - let's get goin'! It's going to be a good night!" My Dad roared happily, letting Riley go and slapping us both hard on the back. Then he marched out ahead, apparently knowing the way to the Gym already. I glanced at Riley, who didn't move at first, but stood in spot, his limbs still twitching. I gently took his arm.

"Are you okay, man? Did he hurt you?"

Riley simply swooned, his matchstick legs buckling. I caught him in my arms last second. His face looked as happy a dream.

"...Wow," he mumbled, and I could see stars in his eyes.

Oh, gimme a friggin' break. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Ah, Volk... I think it might be okay."

I stretched out on the tatami floor, rolling around a few times. Volkner stood over me, an eyebrow raised. "Happy?"

"Naw, just getting my money's worth. Do you know how much this is costing me?"

I'd rented out three rooms, and wasn't quite sure who'd be staying in each. Now that we'd arrived, though, Riley and my Dad were obviously fine, talking like nothing at all strange had happened about possibly hosting some sort of Steel-type Double Battle Event at Canalave Gym. I told Flint he was welcome to stay in our room, but he looked grossed out and opted to take the last room, which had been freed up.

Each room was a very fancy, old Japanese style room, with tatami floors and fluffy futons to roll out when it was time to sleep. There was a low table with fresh tea laid out, and thin a kimono - yukata - for each of us. The rice paper windows, when opened, overlooked the hot springs themselves, which were nestled in the middle of a secluded grove of trees. Beyond that - the ocean, and Sunyshore City's lighthouse could be seen, albeit far away.

I sighed happily, stretching out and breathing in the musty tatami smell. I'd planned this for my friend and my father - but now that I was here, I realized this was actually a very romantic place. Volkner must have come to the same conclusion, as he was suddenly next to me on the floor. I giggled, tugging on his shoulders and pulling him on top of me. He leaned down wordlessly, slipping his tongue into my mouth, his fingers tangling into my hair. I kissed back, lifting up my legs and wrapping them tightly around his waist, my arms sliding around his back. He broke away from my wet mouth, suckling and biting as a sweet spot behind my ear. I gasped and shuddered.

"V-Volk... we can't... everyone's heading d-down soon..."

Volkner growled, nibbling on my throat. "Can't we get a private spring to ourselves?"

"N-nnn... t...there's only two, and... if we took one to ourselves, F...Flint would be stuck with m-my Dad and Riley..."

"Don't you mean they'd be stuck with Flint?" Volkner sighed, sitting up, his legs still straddling my lap. "All right... I'll just hold it in until it's time to go to sleep, I guess I have no choice." He looked down, then scooted himself onto the floor, patting my crotch, where my pants were tenting out something fierce. "You'd better hold it in too, Roark."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, then sat up. "Get changed, I'm gonna ... I'll be right back."

I grabbed my yukata and ran into the bathroom, stripping down and running cold water in the sink. I imagined Volkner sniggering at me as I yelped and whined when I splashed the cold water onto my crotch.

Both in yukata, we headed next door, knocking. The door slid open suddenly, and Flint's big grinning face was in our faces. His hair was tied back again. Ugh!! Why did he have to do that?? He marched out. "Ready to go, boys?" He'd already marched around the corner and down the stairs. Volkner snorted and called after him. "See you down there!"

I knocked on my Dad's door, half scared as I remembered bursting in on him and Riley in my dream. "Enter," responded his gruff voice. I gingerly slid the door open. Dad was sitting crosslegged on the tatami, already changed as well. I blinked.

"Where's Riley?"

"Showering," Dad responded. "He doesn't want to make the springs dirty."

I rolled my eyes, positive that his shower was also very very cold. "Well, are you gonna wait for him, or come on down?"

"Guess I'll wait, so he doesn't get lost and scared." Dad roared laughter at his own wit, and I chuckled nervously.

"Right - we'll see you in a few minutes then."

I grabbed Volkner's hand tightly as we headed downstairs. The hotel lobby was as pretty as the rooms, and I could see them setting up for our party in the restaurant that was in another room. Shit, this was really, really expensive.

Flint was already in the hot water, splashing around and whooping like a maniac. I frowned, glad I'd rented the entire place out. "Flint, hot springs are for relaxing, not turning into a monkey."

"Have you heard about the monkeys that sit in hot springs up near Snowpoint City?!" Flint babbled, completely ignoring my scolding. "Mostly Ambipoms - wild ones - Volktard, you should have brought along your monkey!"

"I did bring along my monkey," Volkner snorted, patting me on the head. I growled and stormed over to the towels, slipping one around my waist before shedding my yukata and hanging it up. Damned if I was giving Flint any more peeks than he deserved. I strolled over to the edge of the water, dipping one foot in and shrieking.

"It's really HOT!" I cried. "Why is it so HOT?!"

"It's a HOT spring, Roarkie," Flint crowed. "Hey, why the little towel?" He swam over and made a swipe for it, and I screamed bloody murder and ran to the other side of the pool.

"Leave me alone!" I cried, then stepped into the pool again, grimacing at the temperature. I inched my way down, finally submerging up to my chest. Only then did I plop the little towel down on the edge of the pool. Once I got over the sensation of my skin burning off, it actually felt rather good.

"Roark, you were right, it is really hot," came Volkner's voice from the other side. I turned to look and screamed again. He was standing there completely naked, his girly hands on his little hips. Flint turned to grin at me.

"Roarkie, you don't need to scream, don't worry. You don't know how many times I've seen Volknard's-ACK!!"

I'd shot like a torpedo towards Flint and leapt on top of him from behind, pushing him completely underwater and pounding him on his shoulders with my fists. His head emerged, sputtering and coughing.

"Hey, get off me, you freaking crazy homo!"

"MINE!" I shrieked, perching myself on Flint's back and bopping him on the head without mercy. "Mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine!!"

"AAAArrrrgh!" Flint yelped in pain as I grabbed a fistful of curly hair and yanked, hard. He turned and began to fight back, snatching my glasses and throwing them over the rock wall into the other pool, then grabbing my ear and yanking on it. I screamed in pain and clawed at his chest madly. Then, suddenly a girly little hand had closed on my wrist. Volkner stood in front of us, each hand closed on one of our wrists.

"Guys - knock it off, what the hell, seriously? Fighting over me?" He smirked a little. "Isn't there enough of me to go around, eh?"

Stunned into silence, Flint and I turned to look at each other, then simultaneously and easily yanked ourselves free from Volkner's little-girl grip and pounced on him together, shoving him underwater. When he emerged, coughing and sputtering, Flint grabbed his arms from behind and I tickled him all up and down his chest, making him squeal in a way I'd never heard him squeal before. I admired Flint's strength, as he refused to relinquish control despite how much Volkner was thrashing and squirming to get free.

"Hey!" A little voice yelled at us from the doors to the lobby, and I saw Riley's form running to the edge of the springs. "Hey - what are you guys doing?!"

"Foul play?!" my Dad's gruff voice sounded, and he approached us with arms crossed. I grinned sheepishly, letting my arms fall limp, and Flint finally let Volkner go free. Volkner swam as fast as he could to the far corner of the pool, submerging himself up to his nose, his eyes glaring at us with the fires of a thousand hells.

"Volk!" I called cheerily, waving to him. "I love you, baby!"

He inched up so his mouth was above water. "You will die," he said simply but firmly, before re-submerging. I pouted.

"Only me? But Flint helped!!"

The mouth appeared again. "I meant both of you." Re-submersion.

Flint was off splashing somewhere, so I jumped a little when a hand gripping my shoulder. I turned to see my Dad's broad chest in my face. I'd been too distracted and didn't even see him come in.

Thank god.

"Roark, boy, you pay for all this yourself?" he growled, eyeing me. I nodded.

"Yes sir."

"Not doing too badly for yourself, eh?"

"No sir." I sat up a little, peering over my Dad's shoulders to see Riley standing frozen on the patio, still in his yukata. I waved to him.

"Riley, come on in!!"

He snapped out of it and peered all around, then began to trot past the pool we were in and towards the side that was separated from us by a short rock wall. "I'm just gonna swim around in here, okay?" his little voice called. I sighed and slumped down into the water.

My Dad slumped down next to me, looking puzzled. "What's wrong with the man, eh?"

"Maybe he thinks you're still mad at him, or something," I said, shrugging. All in all, I thought I was doing a very good acting job tonight. Maybe a nine out of ten, really.

"But he can't be, we just talked the entire way here, we're not fighting anymore." Dad sighed. "See, this is how he started before, just upset for no reason!"

"I don't think he's upset, Dad, maybe he just wants to talk to you alone some more?" I paused. "So we can't hear your super secret strategies?"

Dad grunted. "Yeah - maybe." He paused to scratch his chin. "Would you mind if I went over there for a second?"

"Nope, no worries." I patted his big shoulder, turn turned and swam towards Volkner, who was still sulking in a corner. Now he was focused on something over my shoulder. I blinked at him. "What?"

I heard my Dad getting out and walking to the other side. Volkner continued to stare over my shoulder for a moment, then turned to look at me, smirking.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just... I always thought Byron'd have a hairy ass."

I smacked him. 


	7. Chapter 7

Volkner's emo corner happened to be next to the rock wall separating one side of the pool from the other, and as is usually the case in this kind of situation, there was a gap in the rocks big enough to peek through. I pushed Volkner out of the way, staring through the hole. I wiped my eyes and tried again.

No good - I couldn't see a thing. My glasses had been flung over there themselves, and I was mostly blind.

"Shit," I mumbled. Volkner pushed me aside then to peek.

"They're sitting next to each other," he whispered to me. "Talking."

"Can you hear what they're saying?"

"No." Volkner turned to look at Flint, who'd let his Lopunny out of his Pokeball and was splashing and swimming around with it and making a ton of noise. "FLINT!!" he hissed. "Knock it off, we're trying to peek!"

Flint and his Pokemon both made very sad, pouty faces, resigning to sink down into the water and soak. We turned back to our peeping hole.

"... no possible way you could understand what's been wrong with me."

My breath caught in my throat at Riley's voice. I pushed closer, letting Volkner be my eyes, trusting him to tell me if anything happened visually.

"Riley, you've been my best buddy since Roark was born, that's 'round twenty years now. Of course I feel I'd understand any problem you had."

"No, Byron, not this problem."

Volkner's hand groped underwater, finding mine and squeezing it tight. I gulped. It was incredibly suspenseful. Would Riley crack? How would my Dad respond?

He grunted. "It's not like you... it's my sons job to hide things and keep secrets from me and lie to me. He was lying to me for years. Sometimes I still don't know what the hell he's talking about. I always trust you to be open with me, Riley, you always have been. You're the only one who finally told me that my cloak was gross and smelled bad and I needed to get it washed."

"Yeah, but this-"

"And you're the only one who was straight with me and told me I was being too hard on Roark when he was a boy. If it wasn't for you, my own boy might hate me right now."

"Byron, it's not like that."

There was silence for a minute. Then, my Dad's gruff voice. "Is this because of when I got drunk the other night?"

My heart pounded, and Volkner squeezed my hand tighter.

"W...when you got drunk, Byron?"

"After that is when you started to act weird. What did I do, eh? Did I hurt you? Was I violent to you?"

"No, Byron, you've never once been violent towards me."

"What did I do then, eh? I musta done something to hurt you."

There was more silence. I held Volkner's hand to my chest, so he could feel how hard my heart was pounding.

"...you did, Byron."

"Did what?"

"Hurt me."

"Did I hit ya?"

"No, Byron, not physically. You didn't even... you didn't even do anything wrong. I'm the one who hurt myself, really."

"Man, just tell me what I did, so I can apologize, make it right!"

More silence. Then Riley's voice, soft as a whisper.

"You really want to know what you did."

"Yes, man!"

Then - more silence, if not for the slight ripple of water. I heard a small squeak from Volkner's throat.

"What?" I hissed, shaking his hand. "What's happening?"

Volkner stared between the rock, his eyes fixed on something I couldn't see. His mouth moved, his voice the tiniest whisper. "Riley's kissing him."

I couldn't breathe. I wrapped both of my arms tightly around Volkner's back, biting his shoulder to keep myself from screaming out loud.

"Shhh!" Volkner hissed. "They stopped." We strained for any hint of sound, but after another long bought of silence, we could only hear whispering and mumbling, too soft to make out specific words. After ten more minutes we gave up, swimming over to where Flint sat with his Pokemon.

"What happened?" He asked, straightening up a bit. I just shook my head, unable to speak.

"Riley kissed him," Volkner answered simply, and Flint gasped, his hands shooting up to his mouth.

"Ohmigod NO."

"Yes."

"Now what are they doing?"

"I don't know."

I listened to this exchange silently, my insides burning up with mixed emotions. Finally I smacked my fist into the water with a little splash.

"Damn it - I'm gonna go over there and get my glasses."

"No, Roark - you idiot!" Volkner yelped. "Leave them alone, for heaven's sake!"

"NO!" I cried. "They - that's my entire family over there, and it might be splitting up forever, ruined! Besides, we've been in too long and we're all pruney, and it's time for DINNER!" I snatched my soggy towel from the side of the spring and stomped up and out of the water, wrapping it around my waist as I went. Then I padded over to the other side of the spring, blind as a bat and tripping on a million things along the way. Waving my arms out in front of me like a moron, I stubbed my toe on a rock.

"Owwwwwwch!" I howled in pain, falling over.

"Son?!" I heard my Dad's voice. "Roark, are you okay?"

I whined, crawling to the edge of the pool where I could see my Dad and Riley's forms sitting. "No, I can't see very well... Flint threw my glasses into this side of the pool. Have you seen them?"

"Oh, Roark...I'm sorry. I didn't realize." It was Riley's voice. "Hold on and I'll look for them, okay? Just wait a second."

Riley dived down, and I was left alone with my Dad in awkward silence.

"Is it time for dinner soon? I'm starved," he growled. I nodded, plopping my toweled butt down and swinging my legs into the hot water.

"Yeah, we can go eat once I get my glasses back."

I felt strange. I wanted to say a hundred things - that I was sorry for how much I'd lied to my Dad as a teenager, how I didn't care that he'd been hard on me growing up... and I wanted to know what he'd said to Riley after being kissed. They were acting completely normal.

Riley's head popped back up, gasping for air and grinning. "Got them!!" He paddled over to me, sticking my glasses in my outstretched palm. I slid them back onto my face, the pair of them finally coming into focus. They were both grinning at me.

"Well, anyway, they have dinner ready for us, so-" My voice caught in my throat as my eyes had spotted a small purplish-red mark on my Dad's throat. I swallowed hard and continued. "Um, yeah, they have food ready for us, so I'm going to head in, just come on inside when you're ready."

I stood up and walked away briskly, my mind repeating the words, it's a bug bite, or some other injury, just a bug bite, or some other sort of injury, a bug bite or some sort of injury.

"Dinnertime!" I yelped at Flint and Volkner, shooting past them and quickly pulling my yukata back on, rushing into the lobby as fast as my legs could carry me. I hurried into the restraunt, with one lavish low table set up for us. I kneeled down on a cushion and stared at the food as hard as I could.

It looked delicious.

But it also all somehow looked like some small purple mark on a throat. 


	8. Chapter 8

Nothing.

Without being conspicuous, I watched my Dad and Riley as close as possible all throughout dinner. They didn't act weird. They laughed and joked with each other and Flint and Volkner, and I tried my best to join in, although my insides were torn up dying to know what was going on.

I wondered if this is how it had been for my Dad - when I'd always been so vague about my love life. Had he been this curious, dying to know what I was doing? Dying to know I was going to be all right?

We headed back upstairs after finishing up, completely stuffed with fish, rice and sake. Flint immediately closed his door and I could hear the sound of five Pokeballs popping open. Volkner tapped my shoulder. "He's just having a slumber party with his friends. Come on in." He tugged on my arm, but I paused with my head sticking out the door as my Dad and Riley came up the stairs.

"Dad - goodnight," I said, and he grunted, patting me on the shoulder. I gave in and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug.

"Good vacation, son, thank you," he growled, patting me on the head. I whimpered.

I felt like I was just nine years old again, praised for having found a real fossil this time.

"'Love you, Dad," I mumbled into his yukata, squeezing him again before letting him go. He smiled at me.

"Same to you, son. G'night."

He went into his room, and Riley started to follow, pausing to smirk at me.

"Roark - thanks."

I made urgent gestures for him to come into my room for a second. I wanted to know everything. He only shook his head, and winked.

"Tell ya tomorrow." Then he headed in after my Dad and the door slid shut. Disappointed, I shut the door to my own room, turning to pout at Volkner, who was sitting upright on the futon.

"Ah, Roark, leave'em alone. They aren't fighting, that's all that matters." I slid onto the futon next to Volkner, but he suddenly pushed me onto my back, straddling my hips. I blinked up at him, surprised.

"Volk...?"

"Now... where were we?" He untied my yukata, opening it up down the middle and sliding it down my arms, exposing my chest and thighs. I shivered in anticipation as his hungry face looked down at my body.

"That water..." He leaned down, kissing my lips, then trailing kissed down my throat and chest, pausing to suck at a nipple. A small moan escaped my lips, my body twisting to press against him eagerly. "Mmm... it really made your skin soft..."

"Y-yeah?" I whispered, squirming as his lips moved down further, kissing my bellybutton, then nuzzling into the little hairs above my erection, which was already pointing straight up at Volkner.

"M-hm... soft, and sweet." His hands lifted my legs up, spreading my thighs apart as his lips trailed more kisses up to the tip of my cock, before he slid his mouth over the head. I moaned louder, unable to keep my voice down.

Both of us were unable to keep our voices down for the next two hours. I was thankful in more ways than one for Flint holding a loud Pokemon Party in the room between me and my Dad's.

"""

The next morning, the hotel had laid out a wonderful breakfast for us, but only Flint, Volkner and I got to eat it. My Dad and Riley appeared just as it was cleared away - fully dressed and packed. I ran up to them.

"Are you leaving Sunyshore already?"

"Yeah, we've got big plans back in Canalave," Dad said. Dad looked normal, but Riley's face looked completely stupid, locked in a starry-eyed, dazed expression. "You don't mind, do you boy? You're only in Sunyshore another few days, right? Come to Canalave when you get back west, yeah?"

"Sure." I paused, Riley's weird aura making me feel awkward. "Are... are you two okay? Did you overcome your differences?"

"Yeaaaah," Riley's voice drifted through the air like little bubbles. "We did."

"No problems here," Dad growled, a small smile on his face.

"Oh - that's really good!" I said, forcing the most natural smile possible on my own face. "Anyway, I'll see you guys this weekend, I guess."

Dad clapped a hand on my shoulder. "See you boy. Don't forget - it's a promise."

I nodded, and my Dad turned and headed for the door, nodding to Volkner and Flint as he went. I turned to Riley.

"Riley?"

"Wow," he said, his eyes focused on something invisible in his mind that I could not see. His eyes slowly drifted to meet mine. "Oh, Roark... thank you. You're my good friend." He gently laid his hand on my arm, and it was then that I noticed the mark on HIS throat - a bite mark. No doubt about it. I could see it clear as day. I gasped, reaching out to touch his neck.

"Riley - what-?!"

He danced away from me, grinning. "Tell you later... bye Roark... bye, guys." He also waved at Volkner and Flint, then headed out the door, running after my father. I stood there in the silence left behind, then suddenly turned on my heel and pounded up the stairs.

"Roark-!" Volkner called after me, but I ignored it. I ran to one of the rooms in the front of the building, overlooking the road. I pushed it open and stared outside.

Volkner joined me a minute later, coming up behind me and sliding his arms around my waist, enveloping me in a tight hug. We both watched the two figures growing smaller, although their laughing voices still carrying up to us. Just before they became too small to see, I watched one of the tiny figures reach out to grab the hand of the other. Then they vanished over a hill.

"Hey hon... you gonna be okay?" Volkner mumbled, nuzzling my neck from behind. I took a deep breath, then turned, hugging him as tight as I could.

"Yes - just give me some time to get used to this weird insanity."

"Think your Dad will ever tell you?"

"No. But Riley will." I sighed.

"And you'll really be okay?"

I looked up at him. "I have a few more days here with you, right?"

"Right."

"Can you forget about construction and just make love to me like mad until I have to go home?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Then, I really will be okay."

He did.

And I was.

""""

END!!


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